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International Dairy Queen has announced it will offer a bubble gum Blizzard, branded with Bubble Tape gum, as an LTO in its Dairy Queen and DQ Grill and Chill locations. The Blizzard will feature the flavor of Bubble Tape gum blended with soft-serve ice cream and will be available during August and September.

Bubble Tape, manufactured by Amurol Confections, is a six-foot-long "stick" of gum rolled into a pocket-size dispenser. Introduced in 1989, it's sold in more than 50 countries and has been one of Amurol's most popular products.

"Computers and video games may have replaced old-fashioned toys," IDQ executive vice president of marketing, Michael Keller, said of the choice, "but traditional flavored bubble gum has been popular for more than two decades and was an immediate choice of our DQ Crew."

That's the name given to focus groups of Tweens (kids age 8 to 12) in Minneapolis, Atlanta, and Seattle who tested new DQ products. The Bubble Tape Blizzard is the second new product rollout that is "Tween inspired and approved," according to IDQ. The first was a Cotton Candy Blizzard. A third, the Caramel Apple Pop Blizzard, will debut in October.

IDQ has also created a web site for Tweens at www.thedqlab.com/.

Why the interest in Tweens? IDQ says stats indicate it's a growing consumer group that spends $14 billion annually -- more than $5 billion of that on after-school snacks.